Welcome to California’s tech-centric brain pool. Wrapping around the south end of San Francisco Bay, the communities collectively known as Silicon Valley are home base for the heart and soul of computer technology, including silicon chip technology, computer design, appsand Apples, smart phones—smart everything. Some companies are so big and so influential that their names have become part of our vocabulary (if you don’t believe us, just Google it). Hike or bike a trail and overhear the next big idea. Visit a museum that blinks and buzzes with what-if technology. And enjoy the riches of a booming economy, with performance spaces, high-end shopping, and multi-starred restaurants.

The Tech

So much of the magic of the modern era happens invisibly and at nano scale, but The Tech Museum of Innovation—or simply ‘The Tech’—does a great job of creating a fun laboratory and learning experience for curious people of all ages. Dive into interactive exhibits showing the power of technologies ranging from robots to gene-splicing and alternative energy. Let virtual butterflies alight on your arm, and let the kids play with the ultimate video games—you’ll probably want to play too. Another highlight is the Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery, showcasing the machines that revolutionise human thought, creativity and communication. Man does not live by bits and bytes alone—so relax in the café, the peruse tech-and-science items in the gift shop (especially great for holidays and birthdays).

Winchester Mystery House

Perhaps Silicon Valley’s strangest and yet most enduring attraction is Winchester Mystery House, a 160-room Victorian mansion that was owned and built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester fortune. Construction began on the house in 1884 and continued, almost non-stop, until 1922—racking up a bill of $5.5 million. Why the unending, breakneck pace? Because Sarah had been convinced by a medium that all the spirits of the people killed by Winchester firearms had placed a curse on her family and would haunt her forever unless she moved West and built a house to match their specifications, as revealed to her in séances.

Whether spirits gave her pointers or not, Sarah designed one heck of an oddball house. Guided tours let you ponder the heiress’s unusual designs, including doors that open onto blank walls and a stairway that leads straight into a ceiling. Other weird facts: the mansion has 52 skylights, 47 fireplaces, 40 bedrooms, 40 staircases, 6 kitchens, 3 lifts, 2 basements and 13 bathrooms but just one shower.

Tech Campuses

Companies like Facebook and Google don’t have formal tours, but at the Googleplex campus in Mountain View you can witness the ‘Googler’, alarmingly youthful employees talking, tweeting and riding signature Google bikes on their way to changing the world. Head to the east side of the campus, along the paved bike path, to look down on manicured playing fields that are the exclusive domain of employees. What you can’t see (but wish you could) are the campus’s gourmet-food-for-free cafeteria, on-site masseuses, daycare centre and assorted nap pods—a Eutopic campus on the edge of San Francisco Bay.

"At the Googleplex campus in Mountain View you can witness the “Googlers,” alarmingly youthful employees talking, tweeting, and riding signature Google bikes on their way to changing the world."

Just south in Cupertino, pick up logo t-shirts, baseball caps, and mugs at another legendary campus, Apple, at One Infinite Way.

North in Menlo Park, the Facebook campus continues to expand. It’s also closed to visitors, but the sign out front—the iconic, thumbs-up “like” in baby blue—has become a popular backdrop for selfies. You can do it too: just pull over, smile, click, and post.

And then there’s the modest building where it all began: the shed/garage at 367 Addison Avenue, Palo Alto, where, in 1939, Bill Hewitt and Dave Packard forged a partnership that would become the global tech powerhouse known as HP.

Santana Row

For the city’s most luxurious shopping experience, visit this snazzy outdoor shopping centre, a mix between California’s relaxed stylishness and a swanky European village on market day. This walkable, nook-and-cranny-filled complex has benches for relaxing under leafy oaks, large sculptures by French artists André Dumonnet and Christine Foulché, antique fountains, live musicians and open-air seating outside quality restaurants. It’s the kind of place where you can easily while away the hours, sitting on a bench perusing your purchases while nibbling fresh croissants from Cocola. If your shopping tastes run more toward Main Street than Paris boutique, there are familiar chains including Orvis and H&M. And, in the ultimate Silicon Valley indulgence, why not custom-design your own luxury all-electric car at Santana Row’s Tesla store.

Stanford University

You can almost feel the knowledge when you visit this elegant, red-tile-and-sandstone campus. Stanford is the academic home of 22 living Nobel laureates, 5 Pulitzer Prize winners and 3 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Not bad for a place nicknamed ‘The Farm’. Fortunately, mere mortals are welcome to enjoy Stanford’s riches, and a bike ride around the large, mostly flat campus uncovers some wonderful finds. Start with a visit to Hoover Tower; on clear days views from its observation deck on the 14th floor can stretch for miles.

Next, take in the exquisite mosaic tile work fronting Memorial Church, a popular wedding spot for alumni. See 20 original Rodin bronzes in the sculpture garden outside Cantor Arts Center; there are roughly 170 more works by Rodin on view inside, along with other international treasures. Time your visit to catch a performance at Bing Concert Hall, a $111.9 million masterpiece on the campus’s north side. First-rate scholars show they are first-rate athletes at Stanford too, with outstanding teams in intercollegiate soccer, baseball, basketball, swimming and diving, water polo, and more. As for that nickname, it comes from founder Leland Stanford’s original horse farm. The original Red Barn, a soaring Victorian structure that has been restored to its late-1800s glory, is located in the hilly western side of the campus, just north of the campus golf course. Oh, and those Stanford links? That’s where a promising collegiate named Tiger Woods played.

Palo Alto

Once a train stop and a sleepy ‘Professorville’ for Stanford University, Palo Alto’s profile and credentials took off like a rocket beginning in the 1980s, as both Stanford’s prominence and Silicon Valley’s fortunes exploded. Today, think twice before passing a parking space in the town’s thriving town centre; this almost-perfect town is always a hive of activity. No worries—it’s a great place for strolling, so ditch the car and walk the grid of flat streets to favourites like trendy Lyfe Kitchen. Appealing shops line the main drag of University Avenue, which leads to—you guessed it—the heart of the Stanford campus. Also near the university is the luxury Stanford Shopping Center, with Armani Exchange, Tiffany & Co., Stella McCartney valet parking and EV charging stations for your Tesla. Dinner and a film? Nab a reservation at Greek-themed Evia or fusion Tamarine, then watch a classic at the Stanford Theatre, a richly restored art-house cinema that includes nightly performances on an original Wurlitzer organ.

"This almost-perfect town is always a hive of activity."

Palo Alto also has a natural side. See bird life and beauty (especially at sunset) on the 1,940-acre Baylands Nature Preserve. There’s also ‘The Dish’, an approximately 3-mile paved loop circumnavigating a retired satellite dish on the campus’s south-west side.

Silicon Valley Wine Country

The west side of the Silicon Valley, where the land rises to meet the rumpled, wooded folds of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has become an inviting wine-country destination. The charming village of Saratoga is the region’s hub, with in-town tasting rooms including Cinnabar, where you can savor small plates and award-winning Mourvedre on a shaded patio. For a real treat, check the calendar and catch an evening of entertainment at the historic Mountain Winery. The legendary Paul Masson, who emigrated to San Francisco from Burgundy, France in the late 1800s, acquired a Saratoga vineyard where he developed fine California sparkling wines. Today, his winery is the site of summertime concerts in an intimate venue under the stars—a worthy splurge.

Saratoga has a spa tradition too, thanks to natural mineral springs and lavish retreats built around them in the late 1800s. Today’s modern Shangri-Las include Nilou and Preston Wynne.

Levi’s Stadium

After decades in a foggy, chilly wind tunnel known as Candlestick Park, the San Francisco 49ers football team has moved south to one of the snazziest stadiums around. Players now huddle, punt, and play in 68,500-seat Levi’s Stadium, a high-tech marvel northwest of downtown San José. The stadium, slated to host Super Bowl 50 in 2016, also boasts eco-friendly features like a living roof, solar panels, and field irrigation that uses recycled water. If you’re lucky enough to settle into a luxury suite, check out the woodwork: it’s made of sustainable bamboo.

Befitting a stadium in the heart of Silicon Valley, Levi’s Stadium is also high-tech to the max, with fan-friendly touches like Wi-Fi access in every seat, so you can tweet, post, and chat about the game, not to mention order food without missing a play. If you do venture out to eat, it’s not all lukewarm hot dogs and soggy fries. Celebrity chef Michael Mina overseas the stadium’s high-end steak house, which offers inside-the-park tailgate parties throughout the season.

Beyond football, the venue is slated to host college football games, domestic and international football matches, motocross events, concerts, wrestling, and more. Public tours of Levi’s Stadium and its new 49ers Museum let you check out all this fabulousness, even if you’re not going to a game or event. The stadium also makes it easy to use public transport, with close-by access to local light rail, bus, and Caltrain.

Trip
3-5 days
10 stops

San Francisco Bay Loop

Start your trip with a visit to one of the most iconic spans in the world. With towers soaring 746 feet into the sky, its span arcing across the mouth of San Francisco Bay, and all of it painted fire engine red, the Golden Gate Bridge makes a dramatic destination, and a great way to begin a tour...

End your road trip by exploring one of the world’s great cities. Famous for grand dame Victorian buildings, classic cable cars, dynamic diversity, a beautiful waterfront and a soaring crimson bridge, the 'City by the Bay' truly has it all. Trend defining cuisine ranging from Michelin...

Computer History Museum

It’s not everyone’s cup of Red Bull, but if you really want to get your geek on, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View lets you get right to the region’s cyber roots. ‘Birth of the Computer’ and other exhibits remind us of the not-so-long-ago time when basic computers took up entire rooms. Another fascinating exhibit sheds light on the little-known story of Colossus, an electronic code-breaker device developed by British maths whizzes and engineers, that helped win World War II. You can also learn about the surprisingly complicated science behind computerised chess, and unravel the amazing technology behind microelectronic silicon computer chips.

Regions

Pick a region form the map or the list below to explore.

Regions

Scroll down to explore the twelve regions of California.

1. Shasta Cascade

This region, in California’s northeast corner, is known for mountains, forests, waterfalls, and amazing, safe-to-visit volcanoes. The region, a 3-hour drive north of Sacramento, gets its name from the rugged Cascade Mountains and their signature peak in state, 14,180-foot/4,322-meter Mount Shasta—yes, a volcano.

Highlights

2. North Coast

With crashing waves along the coast and soaring redwood trees blanketing miles of uncrowded parkland, this is one of California’s most spectacular regions. The largest city, Eureka, is roughly a 5-hour drive north of San Francisco—but what a drive: see lush wine country, charming hamlets, spouting whales, and breath-taking sunsets.

Highlights

3. Gold Country

The western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Range, defining California’s eastern border, are known as the Gold Country, named after the rich Mother Lode discovered here in the mid-1850s. While gold is still found in the region, new riches include top museums and art in Sacramento, the state capital, plus white-water rafting, tucked-away towns, farm-fresh dining, and award-winning wines.

Highlights

4. San Francisco Bay Area

On the western oceanfront of Northern California, at the state’s distinctive bend along the coast, lies this breath-taking region. It’s framed by an unforgettable gateway—the iconic Golden Gate Bridge—spanning the mouth of San Francisco Bay. Explore diverse cities, picturesque hamlets, family-friendly beaches, coastal parklands, and wine country, including Napa and Sonoma wine country, 1½ hours north of San Francisco.

5. High Sierra

Nicknamed “California’s backbone,” this region of towering granite peaks defines much of the state’s eastern boundary. Visit Yosemite Valley, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, and the giant trees of Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks—all within a day’s drive of either San Francisco or L.A. In winter, enjoy snow sports; in summer, go hiking, mountain biking, fishing, or boating.

Highlights

6. Central Valley

Running right down the middle of California, this broad region contains some of most productive farmland in the world. Wine country around Lodi features big, bold reds. Further south, Fresno has a lively arts scene.

8. Deserts

This dramatic region takes up the south-eastern half of the state. Remarkable desert parklands, including Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Anza-Borrego, provide an extraordinary chance to explore, while the oasis-like allure of Palm Springs, 3 hours northeast of San Diego, offers sunny resort-style getaways, with golf, tennis, spas, and high end shopping.

Highlights

9. Inland Empire

This densely populated Southern California region has surprising alpine getaways, like Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, in the impressive San Bernardino Range. On the region’s sunny east side, explore the inviting Temecula Valley wine region. The university town of Riverside is the region’s largest city. San Bernardino, the second largest city, has museums and impressive shopping, while Fontana has NASCAR racing.

Highlights

10. Los Angeles County

This sunny region along the state’s southern coast is California’s most populated region, best known as the capital of the entertainment industry. Here, film stars really do work in Hollywood, play in the surf at Malibu, and shop in Beverly Hills. Looping motorways make the car king, but the region also has a surprisingly good network of buses and light rail, a hassle-free way to explore.

Highlights

11. Orange County

Tucked between San Diego and Los Angeles Counties, this region is known for flawless beaches and “the happiest place on earth,” Disneyland Resort. Anaheim, the theme park’s home, offers a surprisingly hip vibe in a refurbished downtown. Newport Beach has dazzling yachts, Huntington Beach has iconic surfing, and Costa Mesa beckons with top shopping.

Highlights

12. San Diego County

This sun-and-surf region is known for some of the best weather and warmest water in the state. San Diego, the state’s second largest city, is home to the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, one of the world’s great urban parks. For family fun, play at SeaWorld San Diego and LEGOLAND California. Inland, discover surprising mountain towns like Julian, known for orchards and apple pie.